Pesky Little Words

If he was honest, he would have admitted to the fact that he’d changed his clothes more than four times – because damn it: did those jeans go with that jumper? And did that scarf make him look like a twat? If he was honest, he would say that he ran down to the front gates even though he was almost twenty minutes early, his cheeks red and puffy from the cold and his hands shaking slightly in his pockets.

If Sirius, Remus and Peter were honest they would have told him that he was acting like a feminine git (Sirius idly remembered mumbling something along the lines of ‘barmy girl’), but they were all liars, and for that reason and that reason alone they were standing beside their friend, trying to look supportive.

“Guys, you’re standing too close,” James grumbled, shooting the trio a glance from behind his glasses. He reached out to run his fingers through his hair, purposefully avoiding the look Remus sent Sirius. “She’s not going to want to come over here.”

“I don’t see how that’s any different to normal,” Sirius said in response, only to receive a pointed glare from his best mate.

Peter narrowed his eyes towards the stairs, an excited grin warping his features. “There she is, Prongs! Knew she’d come.”

Remus snorted at the absolutely idiotic look on his friend’s face when he saw her, rolling his eyes slightly as he rubbed his hands together to ward off the cold. Certainly, he was the werewolf, but the creature James transformed into when he saw Lily Evans was arguably twice as terrifying.

“Guys, back off a bit,” James whispered, messing around with his hair as he shot them a quick look. Sirius snickered and stepped backwards, reaching into his pocket to pull out a packet of cigarettes.

“Don’t you dare light that here,” Remus snarled, glaring at his friend. “It’s against the rules.”

Sirius laughed loudly, glancing at his friend with an amused smile. “Forgot you were a Prefect, Moony. Bloody good at it too, you are.” Nonetheless he took out his lighter and pulled a cigarette from the packet, causing Remus to hiss and shoot him a glare before stalking away.

“Just you ‘n me, Peter,” he said swiftly, glancing down at his friend. Peter looked up with a smile, nodding his head. “One’s a lovesick fool and the other’s a giant git. Heaven knows why we chose them as friends.”

James was trying not to look too nervous as she walked down the stairs, running his fingers through his hair for the umpteenth time. He tried to force himself not to watch her so as to avoid looking too eager, but he was barely able to tear his eyes away. She looked perfect, really, which was not unusual for Lily Evans. She was wearing earmuffs and a large, knitted sweater, and with cheeks slightly reddened from the cold he began to grin.

She was walking towards him, though she hadn’t yet met his eye. She was just about to turn to him when something caught her eye in the distance, and she grinned widely and waved enthusiastically.

“Must be her friends,” he muttered to himself, bristling slightly as he waited for her to see him. Lifting his head up, he decided that sending her a wave himself would be far too conspicuous, and so he instead opted to make himself as tall as possible; straightening his back and widening his stance.

He watched as she walked towards where she’d waved, hands buried in her pockets and a smile on her face. “Must just be saying hello,” he resolved, trying not to worry too much as he waited.

He watched as she walked towards a boy with blonde hair, who grinned widely when he saw her. I wonder who that is, he thought to himself. “Must just be a friend,” he reasoned, trying not to look to jealous.

He watched as she blushed and placed a kiss against the boy’s lips, smiling widely as she pulled away with red cheeks. “Must have forgotten,” he whispered, trying not to look too sad.

But his face was much more honest than his words.



If Lily was honest, she might have admitted that Christian Slater wasn’t exactly the boy she’d expected to be dating by fifth year; however charming he was. If she was honest, she wouldn’t have ignored the look on James’ face as she turned to look at him.

She’d forgotten. She’d completely forgotten. But she wasn’t honest, so she pretended like she didn’t know what he was looking at her like that for and simply smiled slightly instead.

“What are you looking at, Lily?” Christian whispered in her ear and she blushed slightly, forcing her eyes away from the brooding Gryffindor.

“Nothing,” she whispered.

Because she really wasn’t honest at all.

“What on earth is that mug-face staring at?” Emmeline wondered loudly, her face screwed up as she glared into the distance.

Lily frowned and followed her line of vision to see Sirius an obscene gesture at her friend, and rolled her eyes slightly with a laugh.

“Yeah right, Black you ugly clod,” she shouted back out at him, eyes blazing in their usual way. “Arrogant prick he is,” she muttered, shooting Lily a dark look.

Marlene bristled, glaring slightly at the ground.

“Calm down, Em,” Lily laughed, stiffening slightly when she felt Christian weave his fingers through hers. She turned to look up at him with slightly red cheeks, and he grinned at her widely, eyes sparkling with adoration.

She hated that she could barely stand it. But then again, she would get used to it.



“What the hell is she dating that git for?”

James was ranting, and both Sirius and Peter were trying not to grow frustrated. Remus had disappeared to god-knows-where, and had left the two boys with a very upset (though he would never admit it) James Potter.

“I mean, he’s in Ravenclaw, for Merlin’s sake.”

Peter frowned. “Nothing wrong with Ravenclaw,” he added rather unhelpfully, shrinking slightly at the venomous glare that was sent to him by his friend.

Sirius laughed, clapping Peter on the back and ignoring his increasingly irritated friend. “Right you are, Wormy,” he said lightly, grey eyes glaring about Hogsmeade. “Damn sight better than being in Hufflepuff.”

Peter snickered.

“Bugger off,” said a voice behind them, and Sirius turned to see a girl glaring at him. Normally, his first course of action would be to sweep his eyes over her figure, but one look at her untameable hair and lucid glare had him eyeing her boredly. “Nothing wrong with Hufflepuff.”

Sirius turned away, ignoring her. “The gall of some people,” he said after a few minutes had passed and he was sure the moody girl had disappeared. “Nothing wrong with Hufflepuff… blimey.”

He went silent, noticing the way his hazel-eyed friend had deflated completely. Sighing slightly – admittedly he was never the best at cheering people up – he glanced towards the Hog’s Head, his lips curling into a slight grin. “How about we go get us some firewhisky, Prongs? Moony’s not here so he can’t have our head about it.”

The sixth year straightened, his head snapping up to send a haughty glare towards his friend. “Bloody hell Sirius, are you forgetting how ridiculous you were last week? I’m lucky you didn’t barf all over me.”

Sirius grinned, happy to see his friend more animated, even if it was directed towards him. “Full moon celebration, Prongs,” he said swiftly, nudging Peter in the side. “This is completely different.”

James sighed, glancing up towards the grubby bar warily. “Well I suppose we ought to,” he said finally, glancing up at his friend with slightly curved lips. “Lord knows I need a drink.”

Sirius grinned widely, grey eyes glowing as he wrapped his arm around his two friends. “Lord knows we all do, my friend.” He frowned slightly, glancing away from them for a second. “Especially the git that decided not to show up.”

“Wonder where he is,” Peter said quietly.



If Remus was honest, he would go up to her and say hello. Maybe ask her how her day was, compliment her on what she was wearing and ask her if she was enjoying visiting Hogsmeade. And then maybe… maybe he’d be able to tell her how he felt. Just a little bit. Even if it wasn’t the whole thing… just a simple ‘I fancy you’, or something like that.

He liked to think he was an honest person, but when it came down to it, he lied a lot. It wasn’t something that he was proud of, and ironically, it wasn’t something that he would admit to. But whether it was to do with his furry little problem or even just telling James that yes, that jumper looks fine (mustard was not his colour), he was lying constantly, not only to himself but also to his friends.

He rather ought to find them, really. He looked odd sitting by his lonesome outside the Shrieking Shack, and he found it odd that that was where he’d ended up. It seemed to always be where he ended up when he needed to be alone, he thought idly.

“Remus!”

…And he never managed to be left alone.

“Oh… hi,” he said quietly, his cheeks slightly flushed.

She looked very pretty, he thought with a twist of the stomach. Her cheeks were slightly reddened from the cold and her lips were red and raw, and he was just shocked that she’d approached him all on her own. Of course… they were friends, if he thought about it, but she only really approached him when the others were around.

“Where are the others?” he asked mildly, trying not to sound too eager.

She laughed, smiling slightly as she glanced behind her. “Emmeline’s waiting for me over there,” she said softly, letting out a gentle laugh. “Not that she’s too happy about it.”

He smiled slightly and laughed, deducing that it did seem rather like the raven-haired girl. He ran his fingers through his hair, meeting her eye slightly shyly. “Were you after something?” he asked after a few silent seconds.

Her cheeks reddened a little and she looked down, looking very unlike her normal confident self. Whenever he saw her about she was always laughing and talking to people, and he supposed that was why no one would think she was right for him. You just don’t match, they would say. And they would be utterly right, but for some reason that made him think it was perfect.

“Have you… seen Sirius about?”

Oh.

He tried not to look too disheartened, his lips curling into a forced smile as he shook his head. “No I haven’t, sorry. Probably off having a drink somewhere though, knowing him.” He laughed slightly, and she grinned at him in response.

“Of course,” she laughed. Her cheeks were red as she looked at him, her lips still slightly upturned. “Don’t tell him I asked, would you Remus?”

Remus looked down and nodded. “’Course not.” He glanced up and smiled.

She sent him a lingering, grateful smile before she stood up and stepped backwards. “I’ll see you in the Common Room later, yeah?” she asked politely, burying her hands into her pockets.

Remus smiled slightly. “Sure. See you later.”

She stared for a second before nodding and turning around, and she began to walk away.

“I hope you find him,” he called out.

He really didn’t.

But then again, he was always a bit of a liar.